


The Tone

by drawing_board, funkeymonkey



Category: Kpop - Fandom, NCT (Band), WAYV, Way V
Genre: At least I tried, Comedy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:41:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26246578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drawing_board/pseuds/drawing_board, https://archiveofourown.org/users/funkeymonkey/pseuds/funkeymonkey
Summary: In which Ten gains a new found respect for the leader of the group, after learning that he has a whole side of him that Ten didn't know about.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 35
Kudos: 212





	The Tone

It was a Wednesday just as any other when everything Ten thought he had known about Kun came crumbling down. That one phrase that had Hendery quiet down and obediently go to their shared bedroom was as if Kun had flipped a switch. The apartment that was chaos moments before had fizzled into a certain type of serenity that was so foreign to Ten. Now, this was a Kun that he could finally get on board with, and dare he say, he was attracted to? 

Practice finished early that evening, on account of the basement being closed for renovations,and half of the team had settled themselves at various parts of the apartment. Sicheng had dismissed himself into his room as soon as they were home, presumably to enjoy time alone while Lucas and Kun were out for a run. The rest of them had ended up in the living room, Ten on his phone while the youngest trio of the group were sharing tiktok videos amongst themselves laughing at something that Ten couldn’t find quite enough interest to inquire about. Video clips and viral memes had turned into viral dance moves and soon into dancing. Hendery was the one to set off the other two, Yangyang joined in seconds later and soon Xiaojun was also pulled into the mix. 

Having enough of the noise, Louis, who had been peacefully curled up on the couch, had followed in Sicheng’s footsteps making its way out of the living room. With music blaring, Ten had almost missed the door opening and the rest of the members joining. Almost, because he soon hears the door close with a little too much force, and Lucas nagging Kun about how he could have run a little faster. “Also, I’ve been wanting to mention too, you really don’t go low enough when you’re squatting, you know you’re supposed to bend your knees right?” The voice had made its way from the hallway to the living room over the music that played. Criticism was something that they had all learned to take well, but the look on Kun’s face when they came in spoke louder than words. Lucas had clearly been at it for a while. They all had quirks when it came to one thing or another. If it was dance for Ten, it was physique and exercise for Lucas. Once Lucas started, it was hard to get him to stop. 

“Yeah, this is it, I’m not going to workout with you anymore.” Kun says, and it wasn’t a comment that anyone was surprised by given that it was the third time they had heard that from him that week. When Kun takes a seat on the couch, Ten, who had been in his own world physically turns towards the male. 

“How was the run?” The smile on Ten’s face was meant to be innocent, if not for the obviously smug undertones. Kun flashed the male a look, a mix of annoyance carried over from the previous conversation and genuine spite towards his bandmate. Ten enjoyed that. 

“Can you guys turn it down a little? I could hear you from the hallway.” Kun had been complaining about a headache since the morning and seemingly Lucas’ idea of going for a run hadn’t helped given the man had by then draped himself over the couch, head resting against the cushion. At the request, Xiaojun has some sense to decrease the volume. Not by much, however, it was somewhat of an improvement. Kun looked so defeated, Ten almost felt bad enough that he would offer to cook. Or just offer to pay for ordering in. Probably the latter, unless the group didn’t mind having a cold glass of water for dinner. 

It took about a minute and a half before the volume of the music was turned up again, and this time, it was louder than it was originally. Hollars of ‘this is my jam’ from Yangyang resounded the apartment as the three started to dance once again. Bella, who was unfortunate enough to walk past at the time, had been swept up into Xiaojun’s arm. Soon she was being rocked back and forth to the beat, but soon to be rescued by a concerned Lucas who plucked their unfortunate pet and set her down to safety. 

“Seriously.” Kun mumbled. Ten, who had been till then invested in his phone was now fully observing this chaos unravel and as the second oldest in the group, Ten feels the need to help. He wasn’t one to put an end to whatever the youngest three were up to, but given how pathetic Kun looked, maybe he needed to put his foot down. When his attention shifted from the group’s leader to the trio, Yangyang and Hendery were what could only be described as grinding on Xiaojun. He should break this up soon before it progressed into anything else but- he just couldn’t look away.

Before Ten finally is about to say something, he is interrupted by Kun, “Hendery.” He doesn’t bother to raise his voice above the music, but it seemed that it was enough to get their attention. “You said you wanted to do a live today, right?” Despite the fact that it was phrased as a question, it felt far from it. “Turn off the music when you go.” He hadn’t even bothered to open his eyes, and yet without protest, Hendery disconnected his phone from the speakers. He could see the child-like frown that took over Yangyang’s expression, it was cute until he made the excuse that he ‘should probably shower anyway’ before the two vacated the living room. Xiaojun had also soon scooped up Bella in his arms once again before he made his way to his room as well. 

This was not how Ten had expected things to go down. The word shocked couldn’t describe what he was feeling, more so unsettled by how easily the three complied. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but there was something about the whole situation that left Ten puzzled. The fact that Kun had asked them to turn down the volume a few minutes ago, the fact that he didn’t even have to justify the need for silence due to the headache and still have none of them question his authority.  _ Were the three just being considerate? _ Despite wanting that to be the case, he knew all too well that it wasn’t. 

“It was weird right? What happened this evening?” Ten mused, the lights had been already turned off and Hendery was on his laptop at the corner of the room typing away at a word doc. The rest of the evening had passed by quickly and quietly without much other disturbances. Ten had ordered in food for the group and they made small chit chat before they were off to their own rooms. Given Kun’s headache as well as the fact that they had schedules early the next morning, they had called it a night. 

“What are you talking about?” Hendery asks, still typing, as if he was trying to finish his train of thought before he turns his head away from the screen. 

“Today, when you three were playing, and then Kun reminded you to go do the live.” Ten was not going to bring it up, but the thought had been nagging at him. The situation just didn’t sit right despite the different ways he tried to rationalize the youngest three’s compliance to Kun’s request… request, if it can even be called that. 

“Yeah it was weird…” Hendery faced out as if in thought. Yes. He had thought it was weird too, of course, Ten wasn’t just imagining that there was something else there. Something other than just the three being considerate. If Hendery found that it was odd as well, that was enough validation. “I can’t believe I forgot that I wanted to do a live. I had like five things planned that I wanted to talk about and everything.” Hendery shakes his head, with a disappointed look on his face that was more comical than anything. “Weird.” 

“That was what’s weird about it?” 

“Yeah.” Hendery shrugged, “But I’m glad I was reminded… Kun Ge is really good at remembering things.” There’s a pause before a grin took over Hendery’s face. Ten looks at the male unimpressed for a moment. 

“You just added, ‘for an old man’ in your head, didn’t you?” The grin on the younger’s face had soon turned into a childish chortle. He was thoroughly impressed with himself. 

“Yeah! God, I wish Yangyang was here to appreciate that.” With that Hendery turned in his seat back to his laptop. Ten had to roll his eyes, judgement so evident in his expression. His thoughts slip back to that evening before Ten decides that he was reading into a small situation. 

Yeah, it’s probably nothing. 

\-------

Almost a week had passed, and Ten had stopped questioning the events of that evening that had him puzzled. With schedules piling up one on top of the other, it was hard to think about anything, really. Of course, that was until the same thing happened again. 

Dinner was going to be delivered that night, given the team was starving by the end of practice. Kun and Yangyang had settled on the couch on either side of Ten. They hadn’t conversed much, all of them had been preoccupied with their phones that it had been quiet if not for the music that played in the studio. 

“Can you pass me the water?” Kun asked, the question was directed to Yangyang who was sitting beside the bottles of water. 

“Sorry… no, busy.” 

“Come on, you just gotta reach over a little, it’s right there.” 

Yangyang’s eyes diverted from the screen momentarily to locate the bottles of water and reached his arm out lazily, finding that it was just about an inch too far out of reach. “Nope… too far.” With that, the boy was back to the game that he was playing. When Ten looked back at Kun, he was shaking his head, and he could almost see the other wondering if anyone really respected him. Finally, he got up to get the bottle of water, and on the way back lightly knocked the group's youngest’s head. 

That was exactly that reason that Ten had never really thought of Kun as an authoritarian figure. The group members didn’t even consistently call the man ‘Ge,’ much less give him the respect as a leader figure. But then there were those moments, where he for an inexplicable reason had a certain hold on the younger members that Ten couldn’t comprehend. 

“Food is here,” Hendery shouts from the other corner of the room when the notification pops up advising someone to meet the person outside, and Ten watches as Xiaojun instinctively gets up from the floor. Sicheng was handing the male his credit card when Kun suddenly interrupted.

“Where are you going?” 

“To get the food-” He says as a matter of factly, before grabbing the card from Sicheng. 

“No, I want you to listen to something, come here. Yangyang will go.” Ten’s face scrunched in confusion, that was odd. He exchanges a questioning look with Xiaojun, who did not seem to have an answer himself. Kun’s eyes seemed to be set on Yangyang who had already changed his posture. The youngest who had his legs rested on the couch now had them planted on the floor as if ready to get up.

“I don’t mind going, it’s just picking up the food-” When Kun’s eyes shift over from Yangyang to Xiaojun the facial expression seems to change. The male was patting the space beside him, inviting him to take a seat. 

“I’ll go.” Yangyang was already standing, and soon pulling on his jacket to meet the delivery driver at the front of the building. Xiaojun shrugs, and holds out Sicheng’s card to the youngest as a matter of course. Before Yangyang finishes zipping up the jacket to grab it, Kun clears his throat. The faint sound draws Yangyang’s attention, and Ten watches with fascination as Kun looks at the boy, and then pointedly the credit card being proffered. Kun’s gaze drops back to the laptop without another word, but Yangyang is suddenly reluctant to take the card. 

“It’s fine, got my wallet,” he informed, patting his jacket pocket before scurrying out of the room. It’s not until the door slams ungracefully behind him that Sicheng returns his card into his wallet, flashing Kun a faintly amused smile. 

“I really don’t mind paying, you know,” he mused aloud. Kun, who true to his word has handed his laptop and headphones to Xiaojun, returned the knowing smile and shrugs. 

“He’s gotta buy something other than sneakers for himself once in a while.” 

Ten stared in bewilderment as Sicheng accepted this with a little grin, before his gaze flickered over the other occupants of the room. Had no one else caught that exchange? Yangyang, who had probably never willingly followed a single instruction in his life had responded to a  _ look _ . He’d agreed to do something that someone else already offered to do without once questioning why he had to go do something that Xiaojun was ready to take on. 

Perhaps they missed it. Xiaojun was now intently listening to whatever Kun had him listening to, but the kid was oblivious enough to miss something as subtle as that. Lucas was spread out on the floor, scrolling through instagram, eyes blank, mouth a little open and practically projecting the sound of elevator music in his head. No surprise there. Hendery was staring impatiently at the door with a hand subconsciously stroking his stomach, too preoccupied with his hunger to care about much else. He wondered if this kind of thing had happened before, and he was too intent on whatever he was doing to notice. 

As Yangyang was back with the food and unwavering enthusiasm even in the light of recent events, Ten shook the thought off. He could, and most definitely would come back to it later, but food came first. 

\---- 

He did come back to it, and that to sooner than he’d expected. But walking into the bathroom while Yangyang was washing his face, the opportunity to prod the younger with some questions was too good to pass up. 

“So what was that about?” Leaning on the counter, Ten looked at the younger expectantly, and Yangyang frowned in confusion. He pauses as if trying to figure out what he was missing before the boy seemed to finally understand. 

“It’s not what you think!” Yangyang’s voice was unusually high pitched and defensive. Clearly the two of them were on completely different topics but Ten wanted to entertain the younger’s defensiveness with a ‘mhm sure.’ “No seriously- it’s not like that- Hendery just wanted me to look at something on his back, I don’t know why he was being all weird and closed the door.” It was then that Ten realized what the male was talking about. He had walked into Yangyang and a shirtless Hendery. He had figured that his roommate wanted to get a second opinion from a non-medical professional about how the zit on his back looked, but clearly the younger had drawn his own conclusion from that interaction. 

“Okay, I believe you.” Ten nodded. When Yangyang looks at him, eyebrows knit, he just offers the boy a smile. Ten had been a firm believer that nothing was more unconvincing than the truth. There’s a few seconds of silence before Ten started again, “So about what happened at the studio tonight… what happened?” 

“What happened?” Yangyang asked as he dabbed his face with the towel. Putting the cloth around the neck, he walks out when Xiaojun pushes the two out, claiming that other people needed to use the bathroom too. 

“What? We’re just going to pretend that you wanted to treat us all, out of the goodness of your heart?” Ten says, an eyebrow arched in suspicion. Yangyang laughs and turns on his heels to face the other. 

“Oh absolutely not. I did it cause Kun wanted me to.” The tone in which the words came out of Yangyang’s mouth was so matter of fact, and uncharacteristic that for a moment he wondered if he had heard it wrong. Because Kun wanted him to? What kind of an answer was that? Especially after the other just addressed the leader as ‘Kun’ instead of with the usual honorifics. To be fair, their conversation was in English and the boy never used honorifics in the language.

“... you did it because he wanted you to?” 

“Yup.” 

“You? You, who make him pack your bag every time we’re out, you, who never cleans your room after Kun asks a thousand times. You, who couldn’t grab a water bottle for him tonight, paid for all of us, because he wanted you to?”

“Yeah but that’s different.” 

“How. Exactly?” 

“He asks me to do stuff, it’s a suggestion, he doesn't actually want me to do it.” Wow, this boy will be the death of Ten. The level of which he was annoying could not be expressed in words. Letting out a much needed breath, Ten looks at Yangyang trying to piece together what he was missing. It seemed that the male had decoded the blatant annoyance in Ten’s expression and continued without being prompted. “Okay, maybe he wants me to do it, but he’s willing to do a lot of those things himself. It’s different when he uses the tone.” 

“The tone?” 

“Yeah the tone.” 

“What’s the tone?” 

“I don’t know, like, he just wants you to do it tone. It’s like… like, I don’t know, okay, there’s a tone and when you hear the tone you just do whatever he wants.” Yangyang was stumbling over his words, unable to really explain- which was fair, it didn’t seem like something that would be easy to do so. 

“This is a known thing? That he uses the tone?” Ten had prided himself on being one of the more attentive ones of the group. Surely nothing goes on within the group without his knowledge, and yet there he was learning that Kun, his same aged bandmate had been secretly manipulating the group to get what he wants.

“Oh no, I think Sicheng Ge knows about it… the others don’t.” Yangyang looked just about done with this conversation. “Listen, don’t I treat you well? Don’t I translate for you when you don’t understand certain things in interviews? Why are you asking me all this?” Ten rolls his eyes at Yangyang’s complaints before promptly continuing with his thought. He needed answers. 

“So he only uses it with you and Sicheng?” 

“No, he uses it with everyone, they just don’t notice. They kinda just do it.” 

“Wait let me get this straight, but why do you do it? Are you afraid of the consequences if you don't?” It did not make a lick of sense, what was it that prompted the others to follow unless they were afraid of the repercussions? He hardly believes that Kun would actually do anything if they didn’t oblige. 

“No- what don’t you understand? He uses the tone and you just do it, okay? It’s like, do you rationalize why you put one leg past the other each time you walk? No, you just do it. He wants you to do it, and you want to do it for him.” 

“You  _ want  _ to do it for him?” 

“Want. Compelled. I don’t know.” 

“Does he use it with me?” At Ten’s questions, he could see Yangyang physically shudder at the thought. 

“No. Gross.” Yangyang says, and is followed by a series of emotions on the younger’s face. Disgust, confusion, realization and then renewed disgust. When Kun walks past the two, in the hallway, they both go quiet. He could see Yangyang’s eyes fleeting between Kun and himself before he shook his head. “I’m done with this. I’m not talking to you about this anymore.” With that Yangyang was off, returning to his room with a look of horror on his face. For a moment, he wonders if he should ask why the younger had found the idea of Kun using the tone with him off putting but he decides against it. Yangyang’s mind worked in oddly similar ways to Ten’s in certain situations, and figures that younger’s reasoning was not appropriate.

So there was a tone. When Ten walked into the kitchen, Kun was helping himself to a glass of water. The years they had known each other, Ten had formed a particular picture of Kun, he was a close friend, good at taking care of people, clearly talented and good looking; but what he was not, was attractive. The male was too soft around the edges. Even in their serious moments, despite Kun wanting to be the autocratic leader, it had never worked. 

But now... Ten leaned on the kitchen counter, arms propped on the marble and chin resting on his hand as he watched the man in thought. He had known him since their trainee days but suddenly he had a new found respect for him. The fact that he could easily get Yangyang to do something by his words alone, was attractive to say the least. Ten scans the man from head to toe, as Kun finally turned around realizing there was another person in the room. They don’t speak for a moment, Ten was clearly staring, basically undressing the man with his eyes. He watches as the male squirm under the gaze, and then laughs awkwardly. “What?” 

Ten shakes his head at the questions, waving off the past few moments with a “Nothing. You just astound me.” The comment was genuine, but the smirk at Ten’s lips skews the message that he could see the change in Kun’s face. 

“Is this some type of diss?” Kun feigns a look of offence, before it turns to a cutesy frown. He was jutting out his lips- ever so slightly, enough to trigger Ten’s gag reflex. 

“Disgusting.” To think he had found the man attractive even for a moment. 

\----

That morning was a hectic one, even with one person out of the dorm, it still took forever for the rest of the six to take a shower. Lucas had gone out the night before and hadn’t returned as planned. Sicheng had sent him multiple messages, one of which he responded saying that he would be home in the next thirty minutes and the rest he had ignored. When Kun presses Xiaojun to call the man, Lucas doesn’t pick up and instead he was texting him that he was leaving now. It took exactly ten minutes from the place that he told them he was and to their dorm and when he doesn’t show up another thirty minutes later, he could see the frustration grow on Kun’s face. 

It was exactly 11:25 when Kun finally called Lucas himself, two hours after he was told to be at the dorm. He sees the male pick up the phone, put it to his ear, wait and then voice out a short ‘Come home, Xuxi.’ before hanging up. It was 11:35 when Lucas got there. He makes brief eye contact with Kun before apologizing to the group. 

Ten had witnessed this all in awe, he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. But the look on Kun’s face when Lucas apologized. It was a mix between being frustrated at the behaviour, and yet still maintaining an authoritative demeanor that Ten had never seen in Kun. 

_ Damn, very hot.  _

They were out within minutes, the rest of the day was a blur, a performance and then an interview followed by a variety show that only Ten had to go for. When he got back to the apartment, it was empty. He wasn’t expecting everyone to be awake but to come back to a quiet dorm was worse than a chaotic one. Oddly enough, despite the long day social interactions he did not want to be alone quite yet. Making his way to the kitchen he sits down on a bar stool when he hears the door to one of the bed rooms creak open. 

It was Kun, he could tell by the footsteps that made its way from the hallway to the living room. Ten briefly glanced at the clock that read 1AM. About to step into the living room he stops when he hears another pair of footsteps creep out to the living room and suddenly, Ten was interested. 

“What is it?” It was a deeper voice, it was Lucas and Ten couldn’t help but peek into the living room. For an idle moment, he questions this living room rendezvous at this time of the night.  _ Fuck, stop, not everything is gay, Ten.  _ Shaking that thought out of his head he listens. 

“I wanted to talk to you.” Kun’s voice says and there isn’t a response, Ten assumes that Lucas had agreed. “You know Sicheng texted you a couple of times this morning and Xiaojun also tried to get a hold of you.” It finally dawns on Ten what was happening here, so Kun had actually taken the role of the leader seriously.  _ Huh. Interesting. _ When Ten peeks into the living room again, Kun was sitting down on the couch and Lucas was still standing up as if a kid who got in trouble. The older male didn’t look angry, nor upset, the conversation was rather one that was matter of fact and yet clearly it held more weight to it than what was on the surface. 

“Yeah, I was at-” Lucas who was above six feet tall seemed to shrink an inch shorter. 

“Not my business” Kun cut off the male, “You’re grown, you can spend your time off however you want to.” Listening to this, there’s a wicked smile that grows on Ten’s lips and soon he slipped his phone from his pocket, and scrolling through his contacts, he found the person he was looking for. “But, you understand you have the responsibility to show up when there are six other people counting on you.” It had to be noted that Ten had nothing against the person that was being called on, it could have been Xiaojun or Hendery for that matter but this was a shade on Kun that he was loving. 

**Me**

[01:10 AM]

Dude, I’m so disgusted by myself.

**Do Bunny~**

[01:11 AM]

Why what’s up?

**Me**

[01:11 AM]

What’s wrong with me?

I think I’m attracted to Kun.

**Do Bunny~**

[01:11 AM]

You? What brought on this sudden revelation?

**Me**

[01:11 AM]

He’s disciplining Xuxi.

It’s so hot.

There were a couple of moments of silence before Ten peeked into the living room again. Lucas was starting down at the ground before he looked up at Kun. “Yeah, I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” He heard Lucas say, and following that Kun was getting up from the couch. 

“Good.” There's an affable smile on Kun’s face, and gets up from the couch, he pats the younger’s arm softly. “You did good today on stage. Go, good night.” For a brief moment, Ten thinks that Kun was like a good father before he pushes that thought completely out of his mind. There was a line and it was being crossed. He was the one that found this attractive- what did that say about him? 

**Do Bunny~**

[01:13 AM]

Yup. 

That fucking tracks. 

Can you try for once in your life not to be such a cliche? 

Ya bore me. 

**Me**

[01:13 AM]

Wait ttyl he’s coming-

I’ll tell you what happens

Putting the phone on the counter, Ten rushed to the other side of the kitchen when he heard footsteps approaching, but soon they quieted down as he heard Lucas make his way into his room once again. He thinks that Kun had also followed, until he hears the other, “You’re back?”

“Yeah… just came in.” Suddenly Ten was busy trying to find something in the kitchen. Locating a kettle, he decides that he had come in there to make a cup of tea. “Thinking of making tea, you want some?” 

“Yeah sure-” Kun was soon settling himself on one of the bar stools, before sudden panic washes over his face. “Wait- you’re just boiling water right?’ 

“Yeah.” 

“Then yeah sure… thanks.” Luckily Kun hadn’t questioned the fact that Ten may have overheard the conversation between the two. 

**Do Bunny~**

[01:16 AM]

Don’t.

I need to be able to look Kun in the eye the next time I see him 

When the soft buzz of the phone goes off, Ten’s eyes dart over to where he left his phone. He had just finished plugging the kettle in before he turned to see Kun’s eyes on the notification that lit up the screen. “Look me in the eyes? You and Doyoung are talking about me?” Before Kun had the opportunity to grab the phone that was on the counter, Ten had slid across the kitchen to take the phone and pocket it. 

“No, you must’ve read it wrong.” Ten said, slowly backing away from the other and towards the other side of the kitchen, only to be followed. 

“Really? Then why are you trying to hide it?”

“Because it’s none of your business” 

“But it seems like it is.” With each step that Ten took backwards, Kun was following suit, trying to reach out for the phone that Ten had slipped into his back pocket. “Come on, I want to know. What were you talking about?” Ten grabbed at the other’s wrist, pushing them back so that he was unable to get a hold of the device. 

“Nothing that concerns you.” Ten had backed himself into the kitchen drawers, and pressed himself against it so that the other wouldn’t be able to reach around him. They were only inches apart. 

“Liar, let me see it. You’re talking about me, what is it?” Ten was holding the other back from himself, sounds of disapproval making its way out without consideration for the rest of their bandmates that would have been sleeping. “Tell me.” Kun says, and it was then that Ten stopped resisting. His hands are still wrapped around the other’s wrists but he wasn’t forcing the other away. Had he just used the same tone that he uses with the younger members on him? 

Of course, it wouldn’t work on him the same way it did on the others but Ten couldn’t help but smirk. The sudden shift in Ten’s demeanor had seemed to surprise the leader as he had also stopped trying to reach out for the phone. Ten exhaled sharply in amusement, cocking his head for a moment as he watched the other’s face twist in confusion. “Okay.” He says, “I’ll tell you.” It had to be noted that Ten had no intention of telling the man, exactly how the conversation went down. “I was telling Doyoung that you were a good leader… you know, with how you talked to Xuxi and all.” 

There’s a suspicious look on Kun’s face, hesitant to believe that was the conversation. But then again, the look that Ten was giving him was probably not helping either, “Right… why would Doyoung not be able to look me in the eye because of that?” 

“Because, that’s not how I phrased it.” While Kun had a tone that he used with the younger members, Ten had one of his own that was specifically tailored to make Kun uncomfortable. Ten had won multiple arguments like that. Suddenly, Kun was taking a step back, the look of confusion changing into something a little more defensive, awkward. He could already sense the panic brewing in Kun, as they both knew where this was going. 

“Okay… I’ve known you long enough not to question that.” Another step back, and with that Ten moved forward to close the distance between the two prompting the other to back away further. Their roles had reversed in this situation and Ten was going all in. “I’ve know you way too long-” 

“You don’t want to know what I said?” The cocky smirk on Ten’s lips was intensifying, directly correlated to how uncomfortable Kun progressively got. He had known his same aged friend well enough to know how exactly he could avoid answering the question. Soon, it was Kun who had himself pushed against the counter, trying to keep Ten from invading his personal space. 

“I’m good-” He saw Kun’s eyes dart down when Ten pinches the fabric of his shirt, slightly pulling on it. “You’re such an ass…” 

“Aww baby, you’re such a loser.” The defeated look on Kun’s face, followed by an exasperated sigh was enough to get Ten to back off, smile victoriously and then move towards the kettle that had by then boiled the water. As Ten prepared the tea for the two, Kun went back to the bar stool that he was sitting on watching the other. 

They don’t speak for a couple of moments. Ten returns with two mugs in hand offering one of them to Kun before he sits down beside the male. They sip at the drink for a few minutes in silence, aimlessly scrolling past pictures on their instagrams and just enjoying the presence for the time being before Ten finally broke the silence. “You really are a good leader though.” He says, a genuine compliment. Kun was such a different person when he was with Ten, given their same age and relationship, but he could see how he treated the rest of the members as well. He was objectively a good leader, and he could see why the younger members didn’t question his requests when they were asked to.

“Thank you?” Kun says, seemingly trying to work out if what was offered was a compliment. When Ten offers a smile, a similar one grows on Kun’s face as well. It was as if he couldn’t contain the joy that the words had brought on. He does look away soon, however, in an attempt to subside the soft, warm atmosphere that was growing between them. Ten shudders, unable to handle the tender moment that was bordering on uncomfortable. 

Wanting to pivot as quickly as he could, Ten continued. “You should use that tone more often.” It was as if the moment had disappeared as soon as it had settled with just that comment. 

“What tone?” 

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Ten raised his brows, waiting for the other to understand but when he didn't, Ten continued, quoting the words he had said a couple of days ago mimicking the other’s voice as he spoke, “ _ Yangyang will go _ .” The words were so overly exaggerated that Kun cringes, groaning as he rolled his eyes. 

“I don’t talk like that.” He says, “And I don't have a tone.”

“Mhm, sure.” There was a pause where they don’t speak, “I think it’s sexy.” It was a joke, at least in the way Ten said it, but they both had to know that there was some truth behind it. Kun snorts, and it was almost as if he wasn’t surprised by the comment. 

“Okay, Ten.” 

“You should use it more often.” He repeated, “It’s like you’re the alpha of the group” As Ten grinned, there’s a look of disgust set over the other’s expression. 

“ _ Okay _ , yeah that’s enough.” 

“It’s a compliment!” At this point, Ten was merely trying to mess with the other, to undo the moment they shared. “So manly, Alpha Kun.” With that Kun seemed to be done with the conversation and got up from his seat. 

“Okay, I’m leaving. Thanks for the tea.” Raising the mug he gulps down the rest of it before rinsing it out at the sink and he was off without even a ‘good night’ to part. 

\-----

It had been exactly one week after the uncomfortable conversation he had with Ten in the bathroom about Kun's tone. While the conversation itself had not been the culprit, the innocent question that Ten had asked had left an unsettling feeling at the pit of Yangyang’s stomach.

It was his own mind that had made it awkward. When Ten asked if Kun had used the tone with him, it felt instinctively wrong. Of course, Kun was the leader of the group, he could have easily used the same tone with Ten and it shouldn’t be weird… and yet. Yangyang wasn’t a sentimentalist, despite the team referring to each other as a family, he had found it all too cringy to get on board. But when he thought about Kun using the tone with Ten it felt oddly similar to if one his parents used an authoritative tone with the other. The fact that he had made that connection was, to Yangyang, disturbing. 

Yangyang personally had nothing against the tone, he actually quite enjoyed it when he wasn’t on the receiving end of it, or when he could righteously deny the wrongdoing as was the case at that moment. 

“Yangyang!” He had been on his laptop, when Kun had stormed out of their shared room with a look of irritation on his face- but he was so sure he hadn’t done anything today that would prompt Kun to be upset. “How many times have I asked you not to put your wet towel on the drawer?”

Yangyang looks offended, fully putting his laptop aside and turns before pressing a hand against his chest as if he were just as upset about the situation as the other was. “What do you mean? Me? Putting a wet towel on the drawer? Why would I do that? It would ruin the wood.” He says as if he wasn’t the one to do it every other day. It just so happened that this time it wasn’t him. He knows this clearly because he was about to throw it on there when he saw one already on it, and pitied the fool (Xiaojun) who would have to face a passive aggressive Kun for that. As the considerate and dutiful roommate that he was, when Yangyang had tossed his towel into the hamper he hadn’t even considered saving Xiaojun from Kun’s wrath. 

“Mhm.” The younger’s comment had clearly hit a nerve for Kun, knowing all too well how Yangyang was. He was holding back though as he returned back to the topic on hand, “Where’s Xiaojun?”

“I think he’s with Xuxi,” Yangyang answers. 

When Kun turns towards the room, Yangyang bolts in the other direction. As he predicted, Xiaojun and Hendery were huddled together on his bed, thoroughly absorbed in their video game. A quick glance around led to the conclusion that strategically, the best view with full visibility was Ten’s bed. He slid back against the headboard and peered over at Ten’s iPad. 

“Watcha’ doin?” 

Ten glances up and raises a brow, understandably, because it is fairly obvious that he is drawing. “What do you want?” Ten mumbled, going back to his concentrated, lips parted, tongue poked out face as he continued his sketch.

“Just wanted to hang out with my best bro.” 

“Your what?” 

“My best bro-” 

“That’s not what I hear normally.” Ten was intentionally mimicking Yangyang’s voice as he said the words, not missing the opportunity when he got it. Yangyang was too preoccupied staring out the door to respond to that. It took exactly thirty seconds before Kun had entered the room as well. 

“Xiaojun,” Yangyang is already invested, but the marked lack of softness in Kun’s voice is enough to get Hendery’s attention as well. In the periphery, he vaguely notes that Ten’s hand has stilled over the screen. Xiaojun, who was not usually one to be on the receiving end of that particular tone, is not as quick to recognize it. When his name is called, he naturally answers with a soft ‘yeah?’, not yet bothering to look up from the game that he was playing. “What did you do with your towel after you showered today?” 

“I put it in the hamper,” Xiaojun said in a matter-of-fact tone. If only he had seen the look that Kun was giving him. It’s only when Hendery, who  _ had  _ noticed kicks lightly at Xiaojun’s shin, that the boy looked up to see his roommate’s unimpressed look, and smiled sheepishly. 

“...It’s not in the hamper, is it?” 

“Would you like me to move it?” Kun asks in that tone - not warm, not overtly commanding, but has a certain quality that must put the fear of  _ something  _ in his subconscious, because it’s not negotiable. Beside him, Yangyang hears Ten suck in a breath through his teeth. When he looks over, the older male is watching the proceedings with fascination in his eyes- odd, since he wasn’t usually the type to enjoy (or pay attention to) someone else being told off. 

“No- you sit down, I’ll go move it now. Sorry-” with a flurry of apologies, Xiaojun was scurrying off to their room. It’s only then that Kun had realized that there was an audience to the conversation. When he turns around, he half expects Kun to gripe about Yangyang having deliberately steered him to the wrong room earlier. 

Instead, the leader freezes when he notices them, eyes trained not on Yangyang, but Ten. If he isn’t imagining things, Kun looks flustered. When he glances to his side, Ten has a familiar smirk on his lips. Yangyang can’t put his finger on what it means. They share a look that he can’t quite read before Kun wordlessly leaves. Though he doesn’t understand it, it doesn’t sit right with him.

It does occur to him eventually, exactly what that smirk means. During dinner, Ten shares his finished drawing of a pack of wolves lounging, the image centering on the one standing tall at the precipice of a cliff. When Hendery points that one out in particular as well done, Ten explains gleefully that that is the alpha. Kun chokes on his soup. Ten leans back and snickers. 

Yangyang suddenly wishes that he didn’t recognize that Ten’s expression was eerily similar to when he watches Taemin’s ‘Want’ MV, this time directed at the group’s leader. 

If he were less hungry, it might have ruined his appetite, and when he catches Kun smiling into his soup, he wishes he never explained the tone to Ten in the first place. But perhaps the worst part of it all is when a minute later, the two eldest of the group share a fond, amused look that’s too cringey for Yangyang to take on an empty stomach. 

He shoves a spoonful of shrimp fried rice in his mouth. 

Disgusting. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment peeps, I need so much validation


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